The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-06
BIG FIRE At ABBEVILLE.
THE BURNING OF JUDGE McGowAN's s
DWELLING HOUSE AND THE PRES
BYTERIAN CHURCH.
Some Facts OF a Notable Occurrence
in the History Of the TOwn---The
Mos; Beautiful Euild.n. In tile


Place III Destroyed.
From Mr. w. r. Buck we learn the following
particulars as to the discovery of the fire:
At three o'clock while w. t. Buck and VIII
Cobb, timers and painters, III the employ OF
H. w. Lawson Il Co., were at work palntins
and repairing the roof of the tower Of Judge
McG0wan's house, Mr.. Cobb noticed smoke
coming through the shingles In story below,
bat not under them, to Which he callco MT
Bucks attention. Seeking TO investlgaIe Inc Inc
roof from where they were to the ROOF oeiow,
from which the smok Ike came. In raising tne
scuttle or trap door in the roof they saw that
tic building was on fire. Dense smoke anu
hot air came out of it when opened 1t being
impossible to reach the tower from whence
they came. Mr.. Buck and Mr.. Cobb jumped
down the scutle through the smoke, hot
knowing where they would land. They
rushed down stairs and gave the alarm, the
family being at dinner ut the time.
The timers and painters had commenced
that morning to paint the rool ana 10 uo
whatever repairing wns necessary; They car
ried their soldering furnace to solder leaks IN
the tin, and had finished that part OF the WORK
by eleven o'clock. placing the furnace on tne
and they had not used it since that time.
They had been painting since eleven o.cioek,
and were together on the tower when The nre
was discovered in a part OF the house In Wnlch
they had not been, and which Is Immediately
over the ironing room.
Rising from the table Juds e MCGOWAN took
several torpedo fire eXtinguishers and threw
them on the fire. but they wero useless to stop
| the flames. At the same time the cry or hre
had been extended down street. In an eX-
tremely short time the house was so thorough;
| ly enveloped In flames that IL was considered
dangerous to inter IT,.
In the short time allowed every effort was
made to save the furniture. and much was
brought out and deposited in the streets, and
back lot.
Mir. Benet and family lived up stairs and
lost everything, includinga fine library and
all his valuable manuscripts. he had IN n! ms
care jewelry which had been left with him
for safc.keeping. Mrs. Benet lost her dia.
monds and other valuable jewclry.
In about half an hour after the alarm OF
fire the cornicing to the ROOT OF the PresoSterl,
were made to eXtinguish 1t. Fifteen minutes
later the tower blazed, and In little wnlls
| the whole tower was in bright olaze, anu
every hope of saving the building was given
up.
Capt. T.. w. Whites house was now in dan
ger and every effort was directed TO saving II
1t was on fire and continued TO burn loi
half an hour before it was eXtinguished, dnr
ing which time 1t had been emptied OF Gil 1ts
furniture. Mrs. White. who is sick, was car
ricd to the house of Mr.. George White.
The roofs of houses belonging to the follow
ing named persons were afire at some umt
during the burning Of Judge McGowan''
house and the Presbyterian church:
Mrs. Lythgoe,
Presbyterian parsonage,
j. A. Smith,
4. p. Quarles,
The Methodist parsonage,
/ Capt. l.. w. White,
Mrs. Jordan,
The Catholic parsonage,
Mrs. Allen,
Old Methodist Church,
Miller's Hotel.
RuSSell'S stock shed,
Marshall house stables,
Small Rutledge house,
The carriage shop,
i ]. II. Simmons.
y. S. Barnwells cottage.
Six Of these houses were on fire at one time
but the fire was stopped In each instance be
fore much damage was done.
Brush piles, wood piles, fencing Snd gras
patches look fire in many places.
Everything was most favorable for tn
spread Of the fire and the great wonder is
that other houses were not burned. The pre-
vious wind and sunshine mad drled every
thing and the high wind which was prevail
ing at the time of the fire made the spread o
the fire an easy matter, ond IL was with IN
greatest difficulty that some OF the house
were saved. This is especially true In the cas-
OF Capt. Whites house: The greatest effort
were necessary to saveit.
The roof of the cabin on the Rutledge 10
Thc old Methodist church al one time seem
ed likely 60.
Ghe Presbyterian parsonage was saved b:
much effort.
Mrs. Lythgoe's s cottage was for long tim
greatly exposed, but was saved.
The whole town turned out to this fire
and everybody worked with n will, and 1t
owing TO their efforts that much other prop
erty was not destroyed.
. Judge McGowan's house was the fines
! private residence in the up-country, and wa
.. ihe pride of Abbeville. 1t was built by Co
JAMES VI. Perrin In 1859 and 1850. Excusiv
OF the high gothic roof and still higher reach
, ing tower, but counting the basement, IL wa
/, four stories The cost of Its construction
not definitely known, though some say tina
, it was thirty thousand or more. Others plac
: its cost at twenty-five thousand dollars.
!. !. The house was insured In the London ant
: Liverpool and Globe company S7,5O0-the ful
: niture, 81 600. b. S. Barnwell, agent.
The Presbyterian church was Of brick, COY
cred with tin. 1t was built in 1854, at cost c
81, ,C0O-Dr. J. F. Livingston and David Less
ly contractors. Upon this building there uTa wa
evening to he uninjured. The congregatio
f Is the richest In town, and they will build
! new church.
; The Baptists and the Episcopaiana hav
offered to the PreSbytrrians the use OF thei
houses on Sunday Afternoons and nights.
;, Judge McGowan saved his valuable paper
his notes, bonds and mortgages.
| Inbup Nfi,nwon md Mr. and Mrs. Rene